Simple tips to help you organise your wardrobe
In a previous post, I walked you through the process of decluttering your wardrobe.
If you’ve gone through it, you should be left now with clothes that you love, that make you feel good, that fit you, and that you can easily coordinate. And I bet you found the process to be quite freeing, right?
So, what about we take your wardrobe to the next level and organise your clothes in a functional yet aesthetic manner so that you can easily put an outfit together? Sounds good? Read on…
Organise your clothes based on how frequently you wear them
Make sure that the clothes that you most frequently wear are easily accessible without the need to use a stool or step ladder. If you use the higher shelves of your wardrobe to store frequently used clothes, soon enough you’ll be shoving them back there instead of keeping them neatly folded. And what you can’t see, you don’t use. So reserve hanging space and shelves below eye level for the clothes you most frequently wear.
If possible, move occasional wear out of the “prime locations” in your wardrobe. Winter clothes and ski gear can be stored on those higher shelves or under your bed in clear storage boxes. Occasional wear that can’t be folded, such as coats or evening gowns, can be relocated into the guest room closet.
Related: Building a wardrobe that fits
Organise your clothes by category
Arranging your clothes by category will not only help you put an outfit together quickly but will also make your wardrobe look neat and nice. Here are a few options for you to consider:
- By occasion – if you have a set of outfits dedicated to work, you may want to separate them from the rest of your clothes.
- By type/ colour – if you have a versatile wardrobe with items you wear both for work and other occasions, you may want to group your clothes by type, i.e. pants, shirts, blouses, dresses, shorts, etc. And within each type, by colour, i.e. black skirts, grey skirts, etc.
- By shape/ size – long items can also be put on one side of your wardrobe and short items on the other side.
- By sets/outfits – if you struggle to put an outfit together, you may prefer hanging together all items of clothing for an outfit so that you can save time getting ready.
- By work week – you may opt for a mixed solution with categories and pre-combined outfits for the week ahead or the next day.
To hang or to fold?
Deciding what to hang or fold depends on your wardrobe configuration, how much you own in each category, but also your preferences. Typically, you will:
- Hang:
- Shirts, blouses, and dresses of slippery fabrics on padded hangers
- Skirts on hangers with movable clips
- Pants over wooden hangers or by the cuff on clamping hangers (depending on the height of your wardrobe)
- Jackets and coats on curved suit hangers
- Fold:
- Casual pants such as jeans and khakis, although they can be hung if you don’t have hanging space constraints
- Shorts
- T-shirts
- Sweaters and knitwear.
Underwear, swimsuits, socks, scarves, ties, and belts can be stored in dedicated drawers. Use drawer dividers if you have to mix several categories in one drawer.
Scarves, ties, and belts can also be hung on specialised hangers.
Try to leave some breathing space between the clothes you hang so that they don’t crease.
Prefer thick plastic or wooden hangers over wire hangers. They get easily entangled and don’t provide good support for your clothes. Choosing hangers uniform in size and colour will make your closet look nice and orderly.
Organise your clothes: Think vertical
If hanging space is limited, consider fitting an extra rod vertically to create extra hanging space.
Alternatively, you can use cascading / multilayer hangers that hang your clothes vertically. But bear in mind, it may not be as easy to retrieve a piece of clothing as it is with a traditional hanger.
When it comes to folding, consider “filing” instead of “piling”. Although I personally find beauty in a pile of clothes, nicely organised by colour, filing makes it easy to find what you want at a glance and maintain the space tidy.
Your quick start to a calm wardrobe
Having a nicely organised wardrobe makes it so much easier to put outfits together and might even make you feel more compelled to “shop your wardrobe” instead of the high street. The feeling of calm and clarity that comes from an organised space is truly wonderful!
If you’re inspired by these tips but feel a bit overwhelmed by where to begin, the most impactful first step is to gently declutter your current wardrobe. By making space and letting go of clothes that no longer serve you, you set the foundation for a wardrobe that is easy to organise and maintain.
And that’s exactly what my free Quick Wardrobe Fix guide is for. It’s designed to give you those first easy steps to declutter your clothes with confidence, build lasting habits, and start creating a wardrobe you genuinely love.
Ready to start feeling the peace and confidence of a truly organised wardrobe? Download your free Quick Wardrobe Fix guide here!
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